


Things I Love About You

by BabyRedd



Category: The Outsiders - All Media Types, The Outsiders - S. E. Hinton
Genre: Cliche, Fluff, Jail, Letters, M/M, Mentioned violence, Ponyboy is 16, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:33:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24262894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BabyRedd/pseuds/BabyRedd
Summary: Pony sends Dally a letter and Dallas sends one back.
Relationships: Ponyboy Curtis/Dallas Winston
Comments: 12
Kudos: 77





	1. Chapter 1

Ponyboy sits at his desk and breathes in. He twiddles his pencil between his fingers as he stares at the paper he needs to write a letter on. 

Well, he doesn’t _need_ to write the letter but he wants to. He just isn’t sure what to write. 

What the hell do you write to your secret boyfriend that’s going to be in jail for the next month because he beat the holy hell out of a Soc that got a bit too nasty with him. 

Pony knows Dallas wouldn’t want him to write him a letter. He actually firmly expressed that he did not want Pony to send him anything if he ended up back in bars at some point. 

Which Pony feels is stupid because they were dating now so how could he not talk to him for a whole month. Especially when Dally went to jail for him. 

He will never forget the look on Dally’s face when he went to him after a Soc had beat him so badly he couldn’t see out of his eye for days. Dally’s usual resting bitch face twisted into pure fucking rage in seconds. 

When Pony had explained what happened the only reason Dally didn’t immediately go try to find the Soc was because Pony said he needed him to stay. Dally may be a cold hood but when Pony asked him to do something he did it. 

Pony thinks that that’s just how couples work but in Dallas words, he was just a sucker for him. 

Pony knows it’s just Dally’s way of saying ‘I love you’. So Pony always responds by saying he loves him too. 

The point was Dallas was a sucker for Pony and would do anything for him. So he stuck around when Pony asked him to. 

The night Pony got beat he ignored the consequences he knew he’d face for not coming home that night. And layed in Dally’s lap while he ran his fingers through his hair until Pony calmed down. 

That night he let Dally wash the blood out of his hair and wipe it off his face. That night he curled up onto Dallas's chest and slept like a baby.

And the four nights after that he snuck out of his house so he could go see Dally and make sure he didn’t do anything crazy. 

Sadly, Pony didn’t distract Dally enough because one night he got a phone call from jail. Pony knew immediately that Dally had done exactly what he knew he would and had gotten caught for it. 

Pony had cried his eyeballs out because he was sure Dally had gotten a couple of years for beating a Soc. 

He had only stopped crying when he found out Dally only got a month by claiming self-defense. The Soc, of course, got off with 24 hours of community service. 

After Pony had calmed down he wanted to hit Dally for being so damn stupid. 

*

_“How could you be so stupid Dal,” Pony whispers out harshly not wanting to wake his brothers_

_“I got angry... I just had too,”_

_“You didn’t have to,”_

_Dallas sighs “I know,”_

_“Then why did you do it!” Pony says his voice rising before he quickly lowers it._

_“I did it for you,” Dally answers softly_

_Pony sighs and rests the receiver on his forehead for a second before putting it back to his ear._

_“You may be an idiot, but you’re_ **_my_ ** _idiot,”_

_Dally snorts “only cause I’m a total sucker for you,”_

_“I love you too Dal,” Pony says as the phone starts to beep signaling that Dally’s time is running up._

_Dally sighs “I’ll see you in a month alright,”_

_“Alright,” he says reluctantly “bye Dal,”_

_“Bye Pony,” Dally responds, hanging up the phone._

_*_

Pony had only managed to wait three days before he just had to send a letter to Dally which he was trying to write as of now. 

He knows he has to do it quickly because Soda and Darry are going to be home in about forty minutes. 

Darry and Soda didn’t know about their relationship because Pony knows Darry won’t approve in the slightest. It was one thing for Dally to be a part of the gang but it was a whole other thing for Dally to be dating Pony. 

Darry would lose his freaking mind if he found out. And Pony wanted to be with Dally for as long as possible. 

Every part of his soul and heart loves Dallas to the highest degree. Pony wouldn’t know what to do with himself if they broke up. Hopefully, they never will so he will never find out. 

Stretching in his desk chair Pony checks his clock. He now has thirty minutes left to write the damn letter and get it into the mail. Picking up his pen he decides to just wing it. 

  
  


_Dear Dal, I know you didn’t want me to write a letter but I decided I was going to anyway.I miss you so I decided to tell you some things I love about you. (Cause why not)_

_9 Things I Love About You_

_1: I love that even though you’re all rough edges, busted lips and bruised knuckles you take the time to be sweet with me. (Even if you won’t admit it)_

_2: I love that you don’t mind that our relationship stays a secret until I can figure out how to tell Darry._

_3: I love that you keep the gifts I give you even though you pretend it’s not a big deal._

_4: I love that you watch the sunset with me even though you quietly think it’s stupid._

_5: I love that you have started to open up to me about the things you like to do (_ **_besides fighting_ ** _) like watch old corny movies and laugh at them._

_5: I love that when you laugh you wrinkle your nose. And when you’re concentrating on something you curl your lips._

_6: I love it when your face lights up when I give you your favorite candy (Twizzlers) and then try to look mean when you realize it._

_7: I love that when you get angry at me you try to calm down and talk it out and if you can’t you walk away and come back later._

_8: I love that you kiss me when you want attention instead of asking for it because you’re bad at asking for affection._

_9: But most importantly I love every part of you, flaws and all._

_Even though you’re going to be really angry that I wrote to you I have decided that I’m going to send you a letter for every day you’re in jail._

_Love (your awesome boyfriend who loves you so much. Please don’t be mad. ) Ponyboy Curtis_

  
  


Looking over the letter Pony decides it’s good enough. 

Getting up he makes his way outside and to the mail. Pony checks over the envelope to make sure he put down the write address, name, and booking number. 

Putting it into the mail slot Pony leaves with his fingers crossed hoping Dally sends a letter back.

He loved that idiot too much to not be able to talk to him for a month. He hopes Dally likes it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be up tomorrow. (5/19/20)


	2. Chapter 2

Dallas is doing his usual routine of sitting in the courtyard during his short time of being out of his cage. 

He leans back onto the bleachers and inhales the smoke of his cigarette. His eyes are closed as the sun is shining a little too fucking brightly today. 

“Yo Snow White,” a shrill voice yells

Dallas opens his eyes his peace broken and looks at Frankie the most annoying prison guard of all fucking time. 

The dipshit thinks he’s everyone’s friend and likes to give people nicknames. Dallas’s is ‘Snow-white’ because his hair practically looks white. 

Frankie wasn’t very creative. 

“The fuck you want?” Dallas shouts back

“Someone sent you a letter come get it,”

The hell. 

“Ain’t no one send me a damn letter Frankie,”

“It has your name fancily written on it but if you’re sure it’s not yours I can read it out loud just to make sure,”

Fancily written? The only person Dallas knows that has fancy-ass writing and has enough balls to send him a letter is Ponyboy. 

His boyfriend.

Dallas gets up but not quick enough to stop Frankie from reading some of the letter out loud. 

“Dear Dal,” Frankie starts

It was definitely Pony he was the only one that called him ‘Dal’. Well, he was the only one that Dallas allowed to call him Dal.

“I know you didn’t want me to write a letter but I decided I was going to anyway. Sorry not sorry,” Frankie says loudly his Brooklyn accent making it sound funny. 

“I miss you so I decided to tell you some things I lov-“

“ **Frankie!** ” 

He looks up quickly, his face confused “what?”

“Shut the hell up,” Dallas growls out

“Sorry man,”

“Whatever just hand me the damn letter and quit wrinkling it,” he says, holding out his hand.

Frankie places it into Dallas’s hand.

Making sure it wasn’t crumbled Dallas walks away not saying a word to Frankie. Too annoyed by the man's greasy ass fingers that stained the letter. 

“Your welcome,” Frankie yells out to Dallas’s back. 

He only gets a middle finger in return. 

As Dallas makes his way back to his spot in the bleachers his long time prison boys start to whistle. 

“You in ~love~ Dallas,” yells shit brain Larry

“Keep fuckin talking, shit brain and I’ll knock your shitty teeth out,” Dallas may have known these guys since he was 11 but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t knock em out.

Larry raises his hands in mock surrender and goes back to playing cards with the boys. 

Dallas was going to choke Pony for sending him a letter. Probably... Maybe. Definitely not, but he would pretend like he was going to. 

Plopping onto his designated spot Dallas reads the letter Pony sent that Dallas definitely did not want. 

It takes Dallas a moment to read Pony’s fancy-ass writing and when he’s done he reads it again and again and again. 

Dallas will forever and always deny to anyone who asks (unless it’s Pony) that the letter made his cold little heart warm. But only for a few seconds after (days definitely days after).

His denial bubble is quickly popped when another dumbass calls out. 

“Is that a smile on your face Winston,” Barry Blue Balls shouts at him.

Before Dallas can reject that statement he realizes that the reason his face hurts is that he is in fact smiling like a complete chump. Because of course, he is. 

Pony just had that effect on him.

“Something I never thought I’d see Dallas Winston is a  _ sucker _ for somebody,” Barry Blue Balls says laughing with the boys as if they heard something funny. 

Barry wasn’t wrong; he was a complete sucker for Pony. The whole reason he was in jail in the first place was because he was gone on Pony. 

But that didn’t mean he would allow Blue Balls and Shit Brain Larry to talk shit to his face. 

Standing up Dallas makes his way to Dipshit 1 and Dipshit 2. He doesn’t say a word and is the first one to throw a punch. 

Nobody talked shit to Dallas and got away with it.

******

Which is why he is currently in the sticky situation of being involved in a courtyard rumble. That he was thankfully not blamed for starting. Frankie was really fucking dumb. 

Although his outside privileges were revoked for the next week for being involved. 

Anyway, just to make Pony sweat Dallas hasn’t written a letter back yet. It's definitely not because he wanted to write something good back. And he is only just now writing a letter because he knows Pony will love him no matter how shitty his letter is. 

It was for sure not why he was about to send his letter to Pony four days later. 

He quickly reads his letter over a few times before he puts it into the slot where mail is collected. 

  
  


_ 11 reasons why I want to choke the hell out of you.  _

_ 1: You wrote me a letter even though I  _ **_told_ ** _ you not to do that.  _

_ 2: I don’t know how to write a fucking letter. _

_ 3: Your brothers could have found them.  _

_ 4: I read your letter and loved it. It made me smile so congratulations.  _

_ 5: The boys in here saw and now want to know who is sending me letters. They now feel as if they can joke with me, thanks. _

_ 6: I keep your letter on me at all times.  _

_ 7: I have reread your letter so many times I can recite it by memory. (I still reread it despite not needing to). _

_ 8: I now  _ _ need _ _ want you to send me more letters.  _

_ 9: The need to hear more from you has made me realize that I definitely can’t go a month without talking to you.  _

_ 10: That makes me realize that I am so fucking whipped for you. And I find that I don’t mind it all that much.  _

_ 11: Because I fuckin love you.  _

_ From (I’m not saying love dipshit) your not angry boyfriend, Dallas Winston. _

  
  


He thinks (hopes) it’s good enough even though it's all soft and shit. Putting the letter into the envelope and sealing it shut, Dallas sends it off. 

He walks away with his hands in his pockets. Thumbing his very first prison letter from the very first person he’s ever loved. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading this fic. Hope you enjoyed it😊


	3. Beginnings & Endings

**_Dear Dal,_ **

**_I got your letter and it is very much appreciated. I honestly thought you wouldn’t send me anything. I certainly didn’t expect you to say you love me. (I love you too)_ **

**_Which I just want to say... I KNEW IT._ **

**_I know you hate any variation of ‘I told you so or ‘I totally knew before you did’ but I could not resist the urge to say (write) it._ **

**_It feels great to be smug over you and because I like being right. I, of course, have to mention that you do in fact need letters from me. (You didn’t cross out that word good enough)_ **

**_Anyway, I’ll stop with the smugness for now. Since I didn’t want this whole letter to just be me being right and you being wrong I wanna tell you the other reason for me sending you a letter._ **

**_It isn’t only because I couldn’t go long without talking to you. I sent you a letter because I didn’t want you to get insecure while being in jail for thirty days._ **

**_I know you get insecure about our relationship sometimes whenever you disappear for a few days doing whatever._ **

**_Whenever you come back I notice you're always hesitant to get close to me because you aren’t sure if my feelings are still the same._ **

**_After Sylvia cheated on you when you got locked up I know that affected you even though you pretend like it didn’t. Don’t get me wrong I know you and Slyvia hadn’t really been all that serious but cheating still hurts._ **

**_So I wrote that letter because I want to make sure you know that no matter how long we’re apart I’m never gonna stop loving you._ **

**_I’m not Sylvia, I’m not going to cheat on you, and if we ever break up (which we won’t) I’ll be there for you anyway._ **

**_Love, Pony._ **

**_P.S. How has jail time been going?_ **

Pony leans back into his chair and cracks his knuckles. He is about to read over his letter to make sure it sounds good when Soda walks in. 

“Whatcha doing Pony,”

“Just writing,”

“Writing what,” Soda questions. 

“Uh, a letter,”

“Okay, a letter to who?”

“... Santa?”

“... you’re writing a letter to  _ Santa, _ ” Soda says disbelievingly. 

“Yep, I’m just trying to Uh capture my childhood innocence for the holidays,”

“It’s July,” Soda deadpans

Pony laughs nervously, “whoops!” He says subtly flipping the letter over.

Pony watches as Soda squints his eyes at him for a moment before relaxing.

Soda chuckles, “that’s kind of weird Pony but you have your fun I guess,” he says walking up close to Pony. 

“Thanks,” 

“No problem,” Soda replies with a big ole smile on his face. 

They stare at each other for a second, the room is frozen. Things jump into motion when Soda snatches the letter off of Pony’s desk. 

“No!” Pony yelps. 

Soda turns around his back blocking Pony’s attempts to retrieve his letter. Pony watches helplessly as Soda’s eyes scan over the letter. 

Pony covers his face with his hands. His life is over. Soda is going to tell Darry then Darry is going to try to keep him and Dally apart. And Pony is obviously not going to allow that to happen. Their home was going to be chaos. 

“Pony,” Soda says quietly, “are you and Dally dating?”

“Yeah,” Pony responds reluctantly. 

“How- how did that even happen?”

“Do you really want to know,”

“Yeah,”

“Well, it all started…”

  
  


++++++

##  **December 25th 1965**

_ The evening was, of course, cold as it is Christmas Day and the sun is setting.  _

[ “wait you two have been dating for like six and a half months,”

“Do you want me to tell you what happened or not Soda,” Pony snaps out.

“Alright, alright please continue,”

“Thank you,” ]

_ Anyway, it was evening, it was cold, and snow has just started to fall. Pony is walking to Dally’s place before his brothers get home so they can watch movies and drink hot cocoa.  _

_ He tightens his hood so it’s closer to his face. He excitedly hugs the bag with the presents he got for Dally to his chest. _

_ Pony knows Dally might hate the fact he got him a Christmas present but Pony doesn’t see the point in not spreading holiday cheer if he’s able too.  _

_ Besides, it wouldn’t be fair to get the rest of the gang presents and leave Dally out.  _

_ Stepping onto the Shepherds bar house place or whatever the hell it's called Pony knocks on the door.  _

_ The door is quickly swung open, “who the fu-. Oh hi Pony,” a half-naked Tim Shepherd says.  _

_ “Hey Tim,” Pony responds, “is Dally here?” _

_ “Yup,” Tim answers moving out of the doorframe.  _

_ Sliding in past Tim, Pony begins to make his way towards Dally’s usual room. “Merry Christmas Tim,” _

_ “Happy fuckin Holidays,” Tim responds scratching at his bare belly. _

_ Pony climbs up the stairs and keeps walking until he makes it Dally’s room. He knocks on the door and waits anxiously. _

_ After a moment the door opens and Dallas stands in the doorframe shirtless.  _

_ [ _ “is this going to get R rated,” Soda asks

“No!” 

Soda sighs in relief, “okay good. Continue,”

Pony rolls his eyes ]

_ Pony doesn’t say anything as Dally stands there until he’s prompted to by Dally’s raised eyebrow.  _

_ “Oh Sorry,” Pony chuckles out “I was just here to give you the presents I got you for Christmas,” _

_ Dally pauses for a moment before raising his finger signaling the silent message to wait a minute. _

_ Dally steps back into his room and quickly comes back to the door with something in his hand. It was a gift box.  _

_ “I got you something too,” _

_ Pony smiles, happy that Dally had thought of him.  _

_ “You wanna swap and open gifts now,” Pony asks, excitedly waiting to open the gifts.  _

_ “Yeah,” Dally opens his door wider, silently inviting Pony in. _

_ Pony sits on Dally’s bed as there is nowhere else to sit. Plopping next to Pony he and Dally trade gifts. _

_ “Open yours first,” Dally says. _

_ Not having to be told twice Pony opens the box. He pulls out a black jacket.  _

_ Looking at it he realizes that it’s a Cafe Racer Leather Jacket. It was really popular among bikers and greasers. Some people didn’t consider you a greaser unless you have one.  _

_ [ “that’s where you got that jacket from. No wonder you hardly ever take that thing off,” _

_ “Would you shut up Soda,” Pony says exasperated. _

_ “Sorry,” _

_ “Mmhm,” Pony responds. ] _

  
  


_ “I got it since you’re always cold,” _

_ Pony beams at Dally, “thanks Dallas,” _

_ Dally ruffles the back of his hair “it’s whatever,” _

_ And in Dally speak that means ‘I’m happy you like it I’m just too embarrassed to say so’. _

_ “Open yours, Dally,” _

_ Dally reaches his hand into the bag and pulls out a little black box. Opening it he looks at a cloudy sky blue gem.  _

_ “It’s an Aquamarine Gem. It’s believed to calm anger and keep you centered. I thought you might like to add it to your necklace,” Pony scratches the side of his face “I um got you something else too,” _

_ Dally reaches into the bag again only to pull out a switchblade and not just any switchblade but the- _

_ “Stiletto Italian switchblade,” Dally says looking at the blade in interest “it has a blue acrylic handle. How did you get this Pony? These things have been banned since the late 50s.” _

_ A couple of years ago the government banned switchblades because of the pickup in crimes among gang members.  _

_ Some guy named Jack Pollack published an article comparing switchblades to revolvers causing a lot of people to jump onto the let’s band switchblades train.  _

_ “A Soc at my school was talking about how his dad is a switchblade collector and was trying to sell one because it didn’t match his collection,” Pony answers.  _

_ “You talked to a Soc,” _

_ “Trust me when I say our conversation was amicable at best,” Pony responds. He bites at his lip worriedly, “so do you like it,” _

_ “I love it,” Dally says sincerely. _

_ Pony is practically buzzing; he's never heard Dally be so sincere. _

_ “You want to help me put the gem stone on,” Dally offers. _

_ “Yeah.” _

_ Pony leans in close to Dally so he can unlatch his necklace. They’re so close Pony can smell his cologne. It is important to note Dally didn’t wear a lot of cologne.  _

_ Pony swallows hard as he takes off the necklace trying not to stare into Dally’s eyes. It would make the situation so much worse.  _

_ Pony slides the gemstone onto it and leans back in to put it back on. He does exactly what he was trying so hard to do and accidentally locks eyes with Dally.  _

_ They stare at each other for a moment before Pony screws it all to hell and closes the distance between them.  _

_ Dally immediately responds to Pony and- _

[ “Stop! in the name of something. I do  **not** want to hear this,” Soda exclaims.

“Sorry,” Pony says sheepishly.]

++++++

“So yeah that’s what happened. After we kissed for a bit we agreed to figure out whatever was going on between us. And we were dating by the end of the week,”

“You know you could have made that long story short by just saying. Me and Dally got together after we swapped presents and kissed,” Soda says. 

Pony rolls his eyes.“yeah I know,”

It’s quiet for a moment before Pony pipes up again, “can you keep this from Darry until I decide to tell him. Please,”

Soda sighs, “I’ll keep you and Dally’s secret. Only because I know Darry would flip if he found out,”

“Thank you Soda,”

“It’s no problem Pony. Besides this is what brothers are for. Keeping secrets for each other until the end of time,”

“No kidding. Although I don’t really have any secrets to keep for you,”

“Well me and Two-bit are kind of a thing,” Soda says casually. 

“Say what now.”

  
  


******

Dallas walks back into his cell after picking up his second letter from Pony. He’d be a liar if he said he wasn’t the first guy in line to pick up letters from family on the resident mail pickup day. So he can safely say that he was not the first guy there. (he definitely was)

Laying onto his hard yellow cot (that used to be white) and opens up his letter. When he’s done reading it he begins writing a letter back to Pony. Doing his best to shove down the unwanted emotion rising in his chest after reading the letter.

**_Don’t think this is going to be a regular thing cause it’s not, but I’m going to be mushy (real) with you for a moment._ **

**_I hadn’t realized that you noticed how I act after not being around you for a while. I hadn’t realized that you saw right through me and saw the reasons why I acted that way around you._ **

**_I guess that maybe I’m a little insecure that if I’m not around you for a few days you’ll get some sense and decide you deserve better than a jail bird. Sometimes I wait for you to try and do little things to change the way I am because you aren't completely ready to give up on me._ **

**_But then I stop my way of thinking because you’re not like everyone else I’ve ever dated._ **

**_Anyway enough of the sappy shit. I’ve read your recent letter and I would just like to say fuck off. You can act smug all you want but I know if I was in front of you you wouldn’t say a word_ ** **_okay you would but I’m not admitting that._ **

**_From, Dallas._ **

**_P.S. jail time has been going just fine it’s the same shit I’m used to not much is different. (unless you count the letters)._ **

**_P.P.S. Have you been healing up? How are things going at home?_ **

  
  


Dallas thinks the letter is as good as it’s going to get. Pony is the only person that can get him to spill his emotions so easily. It’s even worse considering anyone could see that he had emotions if they got a hold of his letter.

That was something that crawled under Dallas's skin; he didn’t want anyone to be privy to his thoughts and emotions unless he wanted them to.

Sighing, Dallas carefully folds the new letter from Pony and puts it in his pocket next to the first one. He stares at the ceiling and counts the days he has left in his cage.

19 days, just 19 days left.

  
  


******

Pony is going to be in so much trouble but it is so worth it. The mail is being dropped off today but not at the mailbox because it is going to be a massive thunder and downpour later today.

The mailman would not be able to make his rounds to Pony’s house so guess who has to walk to the post office to pick up his letter from Dallas. This idiot that’s who.

By the time he would be making his way home the rain would be pouring and Darry would be home wondering where he is. And why he is out alone two and a half weeks after his brutal beating a la soc.

So Pony has to not only protect the letter from rain, not get sick from being poured on, and not be accosted by soc’s.

What a task.

A task he thankfully succeeds in because he is safely walking through his front door with the letter tucked away safely.

Closing the door behind him Pony turns around only to see Darry standing there with his arms crossed.

“Where have you been?”

“At the post office,” Pony answers.

“For what?”

“To pick up a letter,”

Darry sighs out in irritation, “from  _ who?” _

“Dallas, I’ve been writing him letters and he sent a letter back,”

Darry’s eyebrows raise, “He sent one back,”

“Yeah cause we’re best… friends,” Pony says slowly.

Darry stares at him for a moment. He sighs again and relaxes his stance. “Go change out of your wet clothes before you get sick. Then come back down for dinner,” He says softly.

“Okay,” Pony responds before running up the stairs to his room.

He quickly changes out of his wet clothes into dry ones. He does it at lighting speed so he can quickly read the letter Dallas sent him.

He smiles while reading the letter. Dallas as much as he didn't want to admit it, is a total sap. Dallas may be made of rough stuff but he’s like sour patch kids. Sour then sweet. Good thing Pony’s favorite candy is sour patch kids behind lemonheads of course.

  
  


“Pony!” Darry yells, “you dressed yet.”

“Yeah! Here I come,”

Pony runs downstairs after putting his letter under his pillow just in case. He couldn’t wait to write a letter back.

++++++

**_Dear Dal,_ **

**_I would never want to change you in any way. I love you because you’re you, why would I ever want to change that?_ **

**_There will never be a day where I suddenly ‘get some sense’ and decide I deserve ‘better’, why would I deserve better when you’re the best person for me. And yeah you may be a jailbird but I could care less. So keep knocking those thoughts of me trying to change you or leaving you out of your head._ **

**_Anywho, to answer your questions at the end of your letter, I’ve been doing good. My wounds have healed nicely, the bruises on my eyes have faded and will be gone by the time you get out of jail._ **

**_I should also tell you Soda knows about our relationship and approves, maybe. He mostly agreed to not say anything to Darry until I tell him myself. But to be fair he didn’t seem to reject the idea of us dating. He was just mostly surprised we were dating._ **

**_I’m telling you this is because I don’t hide anything from you. And the only reason I considered not telling you is because I didn't want you to get worried that I’d leave you just because my brothers may or may not approve of us._ **

**_I don’t care how many times I have to say it. I am not ever going to leave you unless you want me too. (or you’re dead I can’t exactly date a corpse, but I will mourn you for a looong time. Just being real with that.)_ **

**_Love, Pony._ **

**_P.S. I’m going to meet up with you when you get out of jail._ **

  
  


**_******_ **

  
  


**_It may or may not have made me happy to see in writing that you don’t want to change me._ **

**_Anyway, I never really expected for your brothers to approve of our relationship so it would be a surprise if they did approve. What I’m trying to say is I’m not going to freak out about it all I really care about is your approval. (never in your life repeat what I just said out loud)_ **

**_Also, just one final thing. For all that is holy please do not show up outside of my jail the day I get out. As much as I love you I don’t want my prison boys to see you because when I end up back in jail I will never hear the end of it._ **

**_If you show up I’m going to pretend like I don’t know you,_ ** **_maybe._ **

**_From, Dallas._ **

**_P.S. I can not stress this enough DO NOT SHOW UP WHEN I GET OUT OF JAIL._ **

  
  


Dallas sincerely hopes that for once in his life Pony will listen to what he tells him to do. Although he’s not really holding onto much hope.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. Jail Acquisition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short but sweet ending.

Dallas is startled awake by banging on his cell bars. Groaning he rolls over to see what the racket is for. 

“Up and at em Snow White, you get out today,”

“Finally,” Dallas grumbles.

Sitting up he hops off of his cot. Frankie hands him the clothes he had been wearing when he had been arrested. Dallas strips to his boxers and socks and throws them on.

He grabs his letters from under his pillow and slides them into his pocket before he walks out of his cell. He follows an incessantly talking Frankie that he does everything in his power to ignore.

They walk across the compound the only sound being Frankie’s running mouth. When they get across it they stop by an office so Dallas can turn in his prison garb in a routine he’s used to doing.

Being in and out of jail for six years made being locked up and released a boring routine.

After being led through an endless series of locked doors and gates Dallas is finally able to step out into the world.

He breathes in the fresh air for a second allowing himself to relax for a moment. Before steeling himself again. He doesn’t want his prison ‘buddies’ to see him look anything but cold.

They had, to Dallas’s annoyance, kept their promise of watching him leave just to be ‘supportive’ friends. Dallas knows it’s because they really want to see if the person who has been sending him letters will show up.

They ignored Dallas’s not so subtle warnings to back the hell off because they weren't going to show up.

Dallas looks around the parking lot and breathes out a sigh of relief when he doesn’t catch sight of Pony. 

Sighing he’s about to start his long walk to go get his car when he’s stopped. 

“Did you really think I wouldn’t show up,” a familiar voice says.

Dallas closes his eyes for a second and sighs again. He turns towards the voice. 

“Pony,”

“Dallas,” Pony answers mockingly, “don’t tell me your really going to pretend like you don’t know me,”

Dallas glances at the jail yard where his prison buddies are standing. 

He looks back at Pony, “Yep,” he responds.

“Sorry to bust your tough guy bubble babe but I’m gonna kiss you, like now,”

“Don’t even try it,” Dallas growls out.

“Sorry,” Pony says wrapping his arms around Dallas’s neck, “but you know I don’t do what you tell me to do,”

“But you can tell me what to do?” Dallas replies putting his hands on Pony’s waist. 

“That’s just how we work,” Pony answers leaning in closer.

“Talk about a power imbalance,”

“Ooh, Dallas knows a big word,”

“Shut up,” Dallas responds, closing the distance between the two of them. 

And for once Pony does do what he is told... sorta. Dallas doesn’t mind all that much he likes that Pony doesn’t listen unless he wants too. 

It was one of the many things he loved about him.


End file.
